Device for cleaning rakes



Sept. m9. C; L. DAVIS 2,480

DEVICE FOR CLEANING RAKES Filed Feb. 10, 1948 Patented Sept. 6, 19492,480,910 j i Y i DEVICE Foa CLEANING RAKES Claude L. Davis, OrangeCounty,Q. C., assigner of one-half to Roger B. Davis," Orange County,

Application February 1o, 194s, serial No. '1,418

This invention relates to improvements in devices for facilitating theremoval from garden rakes or similar implements of such debris as isordinarily picked up thereby.

It is a particular object of the inventionto.

provide a device of the type referred to which may be readily attachedto practically any type ofrake, and which by a simple and convenientoperation will automatically remove leaves,Y

papers, grass, or other debris which may have been picked up thereby.That is to say, the device is so constructed and arranged that bymanipulation thereof, once assembled with a rake, such foreign materialwhich inevitably becomes clogged between, or spiked onto, the teethv ofthe rake during use, may be quickly and handly disposed of. As willappear, the device of the invention may be easily associated with anordinary garden rake, and is simple in form so as to be economical tomanufacture.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fullydescribed with refer.- ence to the accompanying drawings, wherein: y

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the device t Figure 4 is afragmentary side elevational viewv of the device in association with arake, the device being in its advanced position at the end of a cleaningstroke. Y

Referring specifically to the drawings, wherein like referencekcharacters have been used` throughout to designate like parts,Rdesignates a conventional rake handle having a conventional headdetachably secured thereto in any suitable manner. The head comprises atransf versely-extending back 24 from which depend/aplurality ofVlaterally-spaced teeth T. The particular structure of the rake*including its head forms no part of the present invention.

There is a scraper blade member 2 .which4 is coextensive in 1ength withthe width of the rali@v head and which is adapted to be moved verticallywith respect to the forward faces ofthe teeth T. The blade member 2 isprovided with a lower scraping edge 3 which rides the forward faces ofthe teeth T as the blade moves up and down with respect thereto. Theupper edge I of the blade 2 may be doubled to give rigidity thereto, andsuch 4 claims. (o1. sri- 40010) 2 doubled portion is provided witharplurality of spaced apertures 5 therethrough, Figure 3. The rearsurface of kthe blade 2 is provided with a plurality of eyes 6, Figure1, the purpose of which will be described later. The' back 24 fortherake head has secured thereto oneither side of the handle R a pair ofclamp members 20 which are secured together by means of screws 26 andnuts 28. members 20 include complementary portions 22 located* justyabove the back 24 which provide bearings when the clamps are inassembled posi-` tion on the back 24. A bell crank, generally indicatedat l0, includes a fulcrum-providing shaft portion f4, the outer ends ofwhich are journaled inthe bearing portions 22 of the clamps 20. Thus,the shaft portion I4 of the bell crank extends alongdthe: top of theback 24 for rotation thereon. The lateral outer ends of the shaftportion 1 4 are upwardlyV and forwardly directed, as at toprovidesubstantially identical fore Wardly-directed bell crank arms. Theouter ends ofthe arms Ilrextend through the apertures 5in therbladez andare thereafter rearwardly looped, as atl3, over vthe upper edge 4 of theblade.

Thereafter, the arms l l terminate in rearwardlyV and upwardly-directedhooked free ends l5 for a purpose to be described later. An additionalbell crank arm I6 extends rearwardly over the forward end of the handleR and terminates in an upwardly-directed loop I1, Figures 1 and 4. Anactuating rod extends along the handle R of the rakevand has a frontendpivotally secured tothe loop I'l kof the bell crank arm'lli in anysuitable mannenas by the loop 3|. The rear end, ofthe .actuating rod 30comprises a pluralityV ofv turns 32which` extend around the rake handleR and provide a slidable mount on such rake handle for the rod 3l).

A coil spring .40,.has its free ends attached to the eyes ,6 of theblade 2 and intermediate portions thereof are upwardly directed andsupported on the hooked free ends l5 of the bell crank armsl Il.,l Thearrangement of parts. is such that the spring 40 normally maintains thebell-crank 'I0 and the blade 2 in the raised or retracted Vpositionillustrated in Figure 1, with the scraping edge free of the bladeadjacent the back 24 ofthe rake head. However, when the 1 actuatingrod,30 is pushed forwardly, the bell crank VIl) .is rocked forwardly onthe shaft portion IIb-whereby thelarms Il' move downwardly to the Figure4 position. This` action causes the scraping edge 3 yt'o'rcle theforward faces of the teeth T, while at the same time, the blade 2 Theclamp 3 pivots on the loops I3 of the arms Il and is extended relativethereto. This action stretches the spring 40, or at least those portionsthereof between the hooks I5 and the eyes 6, as is clearly shown inFigure 4. Upon release of the actuating pressure on the rod 30,contraction of the spring Mlcauses theparts to return tothe FigureAAVV 1position."

As illustrated in the drawings, the bell crankV I 0` may comprise asingle length of stii wire having, an intermediate portion doubled toprovide the bell crank arm I6. Such material lends tslfpai-g.

ticularly well to the constructionofthebellcrank arms Il including theloops 'it3andihooks-l;

While I have shown and described whatmisnow thought to be the preferredembodiment of the invention, it is to be understoo'd'-tl1atAvvthe'sameis susceptible of other forms and expressions. vCAon.-v

sequently, I do not limit myself to the precise structure shown anddescribed hereinabove except l1. In agarden rake cleaner, the,combination witha gardenl `rake including a handle, Ea rake head having,a back extending transverselyofsaid handle, and `said-back havingaplurality `of later- Y ally-spaced teeth *depending -'tnerefrom,ichl "ascraper; blade-'substantially Vccextensive in: length with-'said head;saidjbl'acle` having-ia lower vsf'zraplngl edge'and fan upper-edgegabellcrank including-'aY shaftl portion, means pivotally "mountingsaidshaft portion on said backf longitudinallyidfthe'.V

same, said-crank including apair cir-laterallyspaced arms projectingforwardly*offvsaidfhead; means pivotally "connecting said armsv4'tolsaid blade inthe region of said Imperre'dge,v a-rv coil springincluding an intermediate portion and; free-ends, means mounting said'intermediate' lportion fm1V 'said belll'crankarms, means connectingsaid free endsl of saidi spring to'- saidf' blade l vinthe -Y regionyofi said lowerl edge; saidbelrcranki having blade and bell crank to aretracted position with said scraping edge bearing on said teeth in theVregion of said back, and means associated with said third arm andadapted to rockrsaid bell crank and project said scraping edgedownwardly along said teeth against the action of said spring.

3. In@ garden rake c1e'aner, thecombination Withfa garden'rake includinga handle,. a rake head'havinga back' extending transversely of saidhandle, and said back having a plurality of laterally-spaced teethdepending therefrom, of a scraperbladesubstantially coextensive inlength with said head, said blade having a lower scraping "edgaand' an"npperiedge, a bell crank including a 'shaft portion', fme'ans pivotallymounting said shaft portion on said back longitudinally of thesamass'aidcranldincluding a pair of laterally- Yspaced arms projectingforwardly of said head, means "pivotally connecting said arms to said aithird-farmi extending upwarelly.` from sai'drshaft" Y portloninthe`regionoffrsaidfhfanidle,` saidspringloading: said 'bladeiandfbelli-crank -tolaf retracted position with -frsaidfscrapingfedgeibearing. lon said teeth inthe regionoffsaid.baclnlandimeanslassociated @.w1th*saidr`third4 arm and i-'adaptedtorock:A said" bell crankV and project V said'flscraping; edges downwardlyalong-saidlteeth against theactionzoff said'fspring.

'-2.V In a garden: rakeI cleaner, 1 the combination" with a gardent'rake incl'trding-SaIhaIrdIe, affrakez headhaving a bacllextendingtransverseixcoffsaid handle; and vsaid back-` havingrfafplnra'litycofharter--Y ally-spaced teeth Vdepending therefrom, @rt` Safscrapers bladesubstantially coextensive 2 inf'lengith. with saldheadesaid-bladahavingfa lower scraping shaft; portion l on Asaid back.2 'longltiniinallyI 'off the same, sai'd"crank: including valpfairV oflaterally-v spaced 2 Aarms` projecting forwardlyl ogfj'saidi'head',said. arms including'rearWardly-direetedfendpor-f tionsf providing:lodps;saidendporticinsatermlnatf-Y ing in upwardly-'directed freer-vendsi providing loops-w said' blade: inthe rgionioffsaiduppenfedge-faacoilj hooks, f means :'pivotallyf connecting sai springincluding anz-interinediateportionfand tre-e:-

ends,'means` mounting'said intermediate pertltnfrA on'saidihookslimeansconnecting'saidffree'endsof saidzfsprlng tdsaid 'blade f mi: the!`region said-5 lower edgafsaidl bell cranlrnavmgY-a-:third-arm ex.-

teridingslupwardlyifrom" saidg-'snaft portion'inthe region 2 oi'said"handle," 'said i spring loading-said 'g blade in the regionofsaidkupper edge, a coil spring includingfan intermediate portion andfree. ends; means" mounting said intermediate rportion' on saidbellcrankI arms, means connecting said"v free ends of saidspringjtosaidlblade in the region of fsaid" 'lower edge, saidbellicranl` having af third armrext'ending'upwardly from saidshaftportion inthe 'region' ofY said handle; said spring loading said bladeand'v bell crank; to aY retractedv position with said *scrapingedgebearing' on` said-'teeth in theregion of '-sai'dj back', a push rodextending along saidhandlasaid push rod having aforward end, meanspivotally connecting vsaid-'forward end 'Y tosaidthird` arm of said'bellcrank, said pushY rod" having la rear end formedr to provide a coil'concentrically'fand slidably V'disposed `about said "'vsame, said crankincluding atleast onebell-crank" Varm` extending fforwardly of said'shaft` portion, A means pivotally connecting said arm to said bladeHinthe regiony or' said upper-i edge,4 spring means,

A means-connecting-said:spring means tor-said blade inthe-'region ofVsaid-"lower"edge,A means connect'- ing said spring means to said armwhereby to'load` sai'ddcl'adefandy bell` crankv to'ya'gretracted'po'sition with-said lower edge ofv Vsaidr'jbladeAbea-ringon sai'di teeth inthe region of "saidi back, and meansj for cofrocking-said bell crank lagainst the faction ofisaid g Yleolthisfpatentzf.

spring-whereby tri-project said-:blade f downwardly and' 'cause f saidfscraping4 edge thereot to scrapej;

vThe following Yreferences are Yofrecordinfthe`

